I just picked up a pair of HPG13A's and have to say I love them, they feel protective and I love the lack of bulk—it's everything I wanted in a pair of pants. That being said, can anyone report on the durability of these pants after having used them for a year? I feel like the elastic front won't stay stretchy for long. I have a brand new pair of VE8 pro carbon pants that I bought before coming across these pants for sale locally and am not sure if I should hang onto the VE8's if these pants aren't built to last.